The Eddie Aikau contest
The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau has redefined what we all know to be a surf contest and the
opening ceremony is no different. Each year, all competitors paddle out into the middle of
Waimea Bay, wearing their leis. They all form a circle, hold hands and someone leads a
prayer for Eddie. Once they pay their respects to one of surfings all-time legends, the
competitors throw their leis in the middle of the circle. This ritual begins the
Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau.
The format for the Eddie Aikau event is unique:
it is a big wave contest designed especially for Quiksilver by George Downing, a veteran
Hawaiian big wave surfer, surfboard designer, shaper and competitor. Downing's idea was to
create an event that best reflects the situation which exists whenever surfers go out in
big waves, with the winners being the surfer who performs best on that day. Two rounds of
surfing allows each competitor to come from behind and win the contest. The format
produces a spirit of competition while encouraging sportsmanship and safety and allowing
the true abilities of the contestants to shine through. At the end of the day, the surfer
who has taken off on the biggest waves and surfed through the most critical positions with
exemplary judgment is the winner.
Each of the invited surfers will have two opportunities to surf on the
day of the event and will be scored by seven judges on the three to four best waves ridden
during each 45 to 60 minute session. Participants will surf in groups of of 8 or 11 at a
time depending on session time available. All decisions are made and known by every
competitor prior to each round.
The level of commitment required in taking off on huge waves at Waimea
Bay is so intense that pulling back at the last seconds is impossible. For this reason, in
the case of two surfers taking off on the same wave, the judges will determine whether or
not there was willful interference. A penalized score would eliminate any chance for the
surfer at fault to achieve a high placing, while the surfer interfered with is allowed to
catch another wave. Should more than one surfer ride the same wave, the surfer holding the
more critical inside position will be scored higher because of the increased difficulty of
his situation.
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With its unique waiting period, this special event will be held only
when the surf is big enough and conditions are right: waves must be 20 feet or bigger,
surface conditions ridable with sets consistent and predictable. Oahu's North Shore is
renowned as one of the few places on earth that can produce these kinds of conditions
during its winter big wave season. Every year the invitees, many of whom are regarded as
the best surfers in the world, are already on the North Shore for the winter waves and
contests, and have high hopes that conditions will come together so the event can be run.
"The Quiksilver," in Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave contest has been designed to
showcase the extraordinary ability of the world's greatest big wave specialists; a special
breed of surfers, recognized internationally as the men who dare the challenge of surfing
the biggest waves in the world.
The story of Eddie Aikau
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